Plans for 1,600 new Taunton homes move a step closer

The development was originally given the go ahead in October 2017

A delayed major housing development has moved a step closer to work starting.

Plans for more than 1,600 houses and a primary school in Taunton, Somerset, were first given the go-ahead in October 2017.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has now approved plans to create two protected wetland areas north of the Staplegrove site after concerns about phosphate levels.

However, some councillors have said the wetlands don't go far enough.

The Staplegrove development will be built between the A358 Pen Elm Hill and Taunton Road - divided into between west (713 homes) and east (915 homes) sites.

The wetlands will capture phosphates from the River Tone catchment area, preventing them from flowing into the catchment area of the Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar site, which is protected by international law.

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Former Staplegrove councillor Rod William told Somerset West and Taunton Council's planning committee the wetlands would only offset 10.6% of the entire development's phosphates, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

"These two wetlands seem enough to offset only the 173 homes of the first phase of Staplegrove West. On their own, they would offset only 10.6 per cent of the Staplegrove development," Mr William said.

However, council major projects officer for planning, Simon Fox, said the project "would in time" provide enough phosphate mitigation for the west site - with separate mitigation for the east site coming in a later application.

The Staplegrove project is one of three developments which will deliver the bulk of Taunton's new housing over the next two decades.

The other two urban extensions lie in Comeytrowe - on the A38 Wellington Road - and Monkton Heathfield, on the A38 between Taunton and Bridgwater).